DOVER, Del. – Points were at a premium for much of the game Monday evening in Memorial Hall, but the Hampton University women's basketball team used a strong fourth quarter to defeat Delaware State 63-54.
 
The Lady Pirates improved to 12-14 overall and 10-3 in MEAC play.
 
Freshman guard K'lynn Willis led the Lady Pirates with a career-high 22 points on 6-for-17 shooting and an 8-for-11 effort at the free throw line. Junior guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas struggled for much of the game, but still scored 17 points.
 
Sophomore forward Mikayla Sayle came off the bench to grab a team-high eight rebounds.
 
The Lady Pirates shot 32.2 percent (19-for-59) from the floor – including a 41.4 percent clip (12-for-29) in the second half – despite making just three of their 20 3-pointers. Hampton went 22-for-29 (75.9 percent) from the free throw line.
 
Delaware State held an early 5-4 lead, but the Lady Pirates re-took the lead on a jumper from junior guard Georgianna Gilbeaux with 5:51 left in the first quarter. That basket kicked off an 11-0 run to close out the     quarter for the Lady Pirates, who led 15-5 after the first 10 minutes.
 
But the Hornets opened the second quarter on a 10-3 run, cutting the lead to 18-15 with 1:56 left in the half after a free throw from NaJai Pollard. Delaware State outscored Hampton 12-6 in the second quarter.
 
Hampton led 21-17 at the half.
 
Willis had a team-high six points at the break.
 
A 10-5 spurt to open the third quarter gave the Hornets a 27-26 lead following a jumper from Aaliyah Davis, before sophomore forward Kaylah Lupoe sank a putback on the ensuing possession to give the Lady Pirates a 28-27 lead.
 
Davis cut the lead to 35-34 with a 3-point play with 38 seconds left in the quarter, but Sayle hit two free throws with eight seconds left to give Hampton a 37-34 lead after three quarters.
 
A Willis jumper with 8:49 to play gave Hampton a 41-34 lead, and a fastbreak layup from Tate-DeFreitas with 5:34 left to play put the Lady Pirates up 47-40.
 
Pollard converted a 3-point play with 3:09 left, cutting the lead to 50-47, but the Lady Pirates answered with a 9-0 run, taking a 59-47 lead with 30 seconds to play after Willis hit a pair of free throws.
 
The Hornets would get no closer than within nine after that.
 
Delaware State (8-18, 5-8 MEAC) shot 34.0 percent (17-for-50) from the floor but made just four of its 13 3-pointers. The Hornets held a 42-34 edge on the glass.
 
Pollard led the Hornets with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Lady Pirates will return home on Saturday to take on rival Howard at 4 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.